Introduction

Abstract

The end of the Cold War has ushered in a period marked by enormous change and uncertainty. States have imploded and entire regions verge on anarchy and ruin. Yet, at the same time, democratic institutions, liberal economic strategies and regional integration have become globally ascendant, although still challenged. The ambivalent nature of the period can be seen in the juxtaposition of global human rights norms with episodes of horrific savagery involving mass killings and expulsions of entire populations.